1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining at least one component of a sample of grain, seed or another particulate material which is arranged in a sample container or receptacle and exposed to an alternating electric field, while a permittivity value of said sample is being measured for determining said component on the basis of that value.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, the dielectric properties of grain, seed, and other organic materials have been subject to thorough theoretical and practical analyses. Thus, it is well known that the dielectric constant or permittivity of a water-containing sample arranged in an alternating electric field is correlated with the water content of the sample. This correlation is primarily due to the fact that the water molecules possess a static electric dipole moment. Consequently, the dielectric constant or permittivity of a water-containing sample arranged in an alternating electric field will be dependent on the number of water molecules in the sample. Not only the water molecules, but also possible protein molecules and molecules of other components of the sample being measured may contribute to the dielectric constant or the permittivity of the sample by possessing static or induced dipole moments. Therefore, it has been proposed to determine also other components than water on the basis of permittivity measurements of a sample.